I had considered writing a cucumber story, because I’ve been growing cucumbers in my garden, and this is the first time I’ve ever grown cucumbers, and it’s rather fascinating to see how they develop from flower end to prickles to mammoth vegetable which you don’t want to stare at too long, because people will think your green thumb might be a little too friendly with your vegetables. However, as I pondered those cucumbers, I could imagine God creating this oddity of a food, and the angel tells him, you know, if you make that walk and talk, I think you’re on to something. And God sort of chuckles to himself, and lo and behold, there is man.
But then Julie starts talking about zucchini and I realize I’ll need to find another idea — preferably something other than phallic vegetables.
As my husband always says, a dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Anyway, so on to serious things, like, you know, romance novels.
I love when people ask about favorite quotes from a romance novel. Sometimes they’re funny, sometimes they’re gooey, sometimes they make you sigh. There are a lot of great quotes in the world, stirring or clever, but when you recall a line from a book, the whole experience of the book unfolds from that one tiny passage. It’s more than a few words, and slapdash punctuation. It’s the hero and the heroine who were there with you. It captures all the emotions that led up to that one moment. The tears, the pain, the joy… and the love.
What’s yours? Favorite line(s), and author and title if it’s handy.
Since I asked you all this one, I’ll start it off with two. One is a favorite quote from my books, and one is my favorite romance novel quote ever:
“I know,” he said, almost proudly. “That’s what Christmas is all about. When you dig through all the tackiness, and ugliness, and vile shoppers, it’s just about a day that you spend making the people you love happy. If I could reduce myself to buying something like this, it would make you happy.”
– Spencer James, Breakfast at Bethany’s.
“He stood, helpless in the driving rain, unable to rule his needy mouth, his restless hands, while within, his heart beat out the mortifying truth.
Ho bisogno di te.
I need you.”
– Dain, Lord of Scoundrels
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One line that has stuck with me over the years is from an older Harlequin Intrigue by Patricia Rosemoor–the title escapes me at the moment, but I remember the heroine had the equally memorable name of Taffy Darling.
It was a big dramatic, tough guy pouring his heart out on his sleeve moment. After the big battle with the bad guy, the hero is being taken away in an ambulance. The heroine, a rich socialite who wanted to make a difference in the world, but rarely felt like she measured up, feels that, now that hero no longer needs her to complete his investigation, has no reason to stay around.
But… he gets himself out of that ambulance, tracks her down across Chicago, and stuns her when he says, “I just saw the woman I love walk away from me like she means it.” (sigh)
A favorite from one of my own books, KANSAS CITY CHRISTMAS, is when the hero (a scarred-up cop whose family was murdered at Christmas time) finally gets to the point where he can say “Merry Christmas” again. Almost at the end of the book, he says it to the heroine, and she, in tears–knowing what it means for him to say that–answers, “I love you, too.”
There are many classic quotes I love and live by (and wish I would have thought of first!
! But I’ll wait for others to share.
Ahhhh…… I think I might have to find the Rosemoor book. Love those big sighs. (L)
And Julie, thanks for sharing fav lines from your own stuff, too. It’s interesting to know what touches the author most, and I’m curious as to how many times what touches the author touches the reader. For me, I know there’s a lot of stuff in my head and I don’t know what gets translated to the page…
He is talking about the inscription on the back of his new wife’s wedding band while they are standing at the alter.
‘He clasped her hand to his chest, ignoring the glowing faces of the audience. “It says ‘forever,’ Callie. And it means forever. I’ll love you until I close my eyes for the last time. And even afterward, I’ll love you.”
~Micah Steele fromThe Last Mercenary by Diana Palmer.
(L) I loved the character Micah Steele from the moment I started reading his story and that line just sealed it for me.
Patsy, that’s a wonderful one! I haven’t read Diana Palmer at all, but that one line makes me want to go out and buy it. One of the fun things about this one, is seeing how many of the fav lines are love declarations… I suppose we’re all romantics!
Great post topic! I’ve read so many great lines in romances over the years, it’s hard to remember them all. Here are a few that come to mind right away:
On one-night stands:
The next one is one of my all-time favorites. It’s heroine Sophie Dempsey’s mental description of hero Phin Tucker the first time she meets him:
Clearly the “citing” function didn’t work in my last post. Here are the quote attributions:
1) “Ain’t She Sweet” by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
2) “Tall Tales and Wedding Veils” by Jane Graves
3) “Welcome to Temptation” by Jennifer Crusie
Katie, Those are cracking me up. The Crusie description is awesome. That first moment when a hero or heroine meets the other, and the writer has to create a written dialog to capture that emotional play that’s going on is one of the most difficult things to do. I love the writers (like Crusie) who can capture the physical of the hero or heroine, but also reflect it through the other character’s POV in such a way that we get a HUGE line into their emotional state of mind as well. That would make a great workshop. A collection of these first meets, and the hero or heroine’s internals.
Jennifer Crusie’s Agnes and the Hit Man had so many great lines and I’d quote a few if I hadn’t shipped it all the way to Montana to share with my friend last week. She loved it to. I don’t think I’ll be seeing that book again unless I buy another copy. LOL.
So some other ones that came to mind…
Like a siren, she drew him.
And, like a man, he followed.
- Miss Emmaline and the Archangel by Rachel Lee
“Claire would.” He [Luc] looked at Olie, his heart pounding. “She said she loved me enough to let me go.”
Olie crashed his palm down on the table. “Well, hallelujah, you’re not as dumb as you look.”
“But I let her go.”
“I take that back — you’re even dumber.”
- Her Last Line of Defense by Marie Donovan
He’d had chesticles for pity’s sake, big man boobs. Hell, the guy probably had more estrogen than she did.
- The Maverick by Rhonda Nelson
When in doubt, do the right thing.
- The Maverick by Rhonda Nelson
Well there went that formatting. Sorry about the above.
J.
“She had all her teeth.” First line of CASTLES IN THE AIR by Christina Dodd.
ROFL…. There are no words.
Ummm..can I use a movie… Scarlett Pimpernel w/ Jane Seymour and Anthony Andrews. He has basically has just asked her out and she says…
“Sir, you move to fast.” (Jane Seymour)
“My heart detects the pace.” (Anthony Andrews)
Sigh…………………………
Sigh….. (L)
I like this from Bargained Into Her Boss’s Bed by Emilie Rose (Desire)” It’s easy to find someone who’ll stand by you during the highs, but not nearly as easy to find someone who has the fortitude to stand by you during the lows or keep speaking to you when the road gets a little rocky”.